Mickey's Tavern

Awesome old time tavern. Great drink specials.

Exposed brick bar at the edge of a residential street that seems like it's a staple for the community. Not too many seats indoors for how popular this place is but they did have outdoor seating with heated lamps. The burger had a great maillard on all the bottoms. The burger was good and I can see why it's a highly recommended smash burger in the city. The meat quality reminded me of 80/20 from jewel (in the long casing shaped like a sausage). The burger sauce tasted like thousand island. The fries were definitely overcooked and average for a pub experience. The beer on tap was crisp and refreshing. The bathrooms were clean. I'd go back if I was in the area.

Easily a Top 5 Chicago smashburger. .. I'll need time to mull over it being a Top 5 burger. Service is heavily dependent on who's at the bar. It's never bad per se, but ranges from ok to exceptional. Cocktails are solid. This is another bar where sticker shock can be real. The cocktail pours are modest so be mindful of the tab as you re-up. 4.1 stars.

Great smash burger! One of the best in the city. The Mac and cheese bites are also pretty good along with the root beer.

We ordered the L St. Smash - 1/3 lb. Ground Angus Chuck, American cheese, house sauce, homemade pickles & caramelized onions. For the most part, it's a beautiful, simple burger with its perfect lacey edges and few core ingredients that harmonize together. But the beef flavor and seasoning was lacking. Fries were overcooked/hardly soft and under seasoned. Service was subpar. Mainly because they put out more outdoor seating on top of indoor seating than the kitchen is able to serve in a timely manner. We waited an hour for our burgers. No compensation on the bill for our long wait. It's a neat spot for a bar food and drinks but not worth the wait if you see that it's packed.

Got a seat at the bar on a busy Saturday night! They warned us the food service at this peak hour would take about 50 minutes and that was pretty accurate. So in the mean time we drank plenty from the bar to fill the time gap. Small kitchen for a bar with a big out door space. Smash burger was so good! Loved the crispy outside and cheese with the double burger. The sauce on the burger was very dill forward and they used a lot of sauce but I personally enjoy that flavor so this didn't bother me. The fries were a bit on the salty side but the dips were both delicious! Will very likely return for more!

Got the L St smash burger with fries. As I waiting, I believe all but one order was this same burger. It's their bread and butter. This was a textbook definition of a smash burger. The smash patties were perfect with an insane maillard reaction. American cheese on top and a soft sesame seed bun. The homemade pickles were great with a little sweetness. The caramelized onions were tasty and I wish there were more. Finally, the house sauce was a nice aioli balancing sweet and savory. While the burger was really good, the fries were not. They lacked salt and were very inconsistent in texture. Definitely the most fries I have left on the plate during a meal.

The burger here is really good and worthy of many return trips. The homemade pickles tasted great and the Mac n cheese bites were delicious, especially with the dipping sauces. My only critique is the service was a bit slow. It took over an hour to get our food but once it came it was delicious.

This place has a reputation for a great burger, and as far as smash burgers go, this definitely earns a spot on any top burgers list for Chicago. Their 2345 old fashioned is also pretty phenomenal.

This place is super cute but wow the service we had was something else! On Saturday afternoon we waited about 20 minutes and no one came to our table, this is with us asking the host stand twice if someone would come by. I heard two other tables complain about the same thing so I think they may have been having a day! The food was fine , nothing to write home about and the drinks were good. Highly recommend the Paloma or the old fashion! Do NOT order the wedge salad lol, there wasn't even enough dressing for a singular slice of lettuce, I actually laughed when it came out. The location is very nice tucked away in a neighborhood and I enjoyed the patio.

Smash burgers! Making the rounds and of course had to try the Leavitt St smash! The place gets packed. Been here a couple times but hadn't eaten the burger. Finally enjoyed one yesterday! The smash patties are great, super thin with crispy edges. Definitely a good smash. The bun reminds me of Loyalist but the burger is way different. Good sauce and pickles too. The fries were great and they have a couple interesting sauces like tajin aioli and lemon (pepper or garlic) aioli, can't remember! Both were great or traditional ketchup is available if that's your vibe. Had a golden crispy ale to wash it all down which was on happy hour special, really good! No complaints here and the service was awesome. Three different people checked in on me while I was waiting forever for my friend to arrive. Will definitely return! Great spot at the end of Leavitt north of Armitage. Easy parking at least for me, motorcycle! Definitely should be on your Chicago burger hit list. Cheers

The heated outdoor patio is great for cooler evenings when you don't want to be kept inside! The fried chicken sandwich and the mac bites are super good too.

Smashburger was good. Fries were okay but not as good as the smashburger. I was charged an extra 50 cents for requesting mustard. Server and menu didn't mention this cost for mustard. No extra charge for hot sauce.

Rated best smash burger in Chicago. I'd have to agree. I got mine with cheddar instead of American cheese and ordered extra crispy fries. Very tasty.

Desperately need management to see this. What the hell is going on with your kitchen and waitstaff? We moved to the neighborhood 2 years ago...first year this place was THE best. This year has been terrible. To start, the food and drinks really are great. The waitstaff and kitchen are NOT. They rarely do rounds (common to see tables of people with empty glasses) and many times I've heard them take "last call" for food at 7:30, way ahead of 9pm because "the kitchen is backed up". For burgers and fried chicken mind you... We've ordered food for the table that took over an hour to get; which we had to go inside to request ourselves because the waitress was MIA (not the first time). Tonight I went in to order takeout that took 45 minutes (they weren't at full capacity. Again not the first time). The bar makes it worth it but holy heck...please get it together.

Overrated It takes forever for burger and fries literally takes forever. The staff dynamic is way off. Locals obviously have priority seating. Everyone else is waiting at the host stand others walk right up and sit down. Neighborhood perks I get it. Just be prepared to wait 45 minutes for a mediocre meal. Red Hot ranch on Armitage -Way better and they serve real fries so screw this place.

Came to check out the famous smash burger, and it did not disappoint. The lacey patty with the sweetness of the onions, the tartness of the pickle all melded together into a delicious bite. The only challenge is getting a seat during dinner rush.

The actual restaurant itself is pretty small. We ended up sitting on the patio and I'll tell yah, it gets pretty loud out there. For appetizers, we ordered the ricotta and fried Mac and cheese. We thought the ricotta was extremely underwhelming, it had absolutely zero flavor, it was literally ricotta with a dab of honey served with toast. They actually ended up forgetting our Mac and cheese until after our burgers came out when we asked. I thought the smash burgers were decent but I've definitely had better burgers in the city. Overall, not too impressed.

came here after seeing a bunch of people review this smash burger. safe to say this is definitely a really good burger. i would ask for less pickles next time, and pro tip, ask for a side of their lemon aioli, it's so good. $60 for two burgers and fries fried mac & cheese bites and two drinks? one con, the wait time, but it's a chicago summer. can't avoid it

The food was all weirdly sweet, the sauce for the burger waste like they added cinnamon, and the burger came out mostly burnt. Only reason I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1 is because of good service. Would not recommend this place at all, McDonald's is better!

First time customer today!! My bf and I were in the area and noticed this place hidden away! I loved the ambiance and the service was superb! Drinks and food came out quick and did not disappoint. Their Bloody Mary was delicious and it came with a surprisingly delicious pickle back beer. The smash burger though....I'm definitely coming back for that. Super juicy and saucy burger with all the perfect fixings. The sauce in the burger has twist to the BigMac sauce but better! Definitely get the side sauce of their house made dill ranch and lemon pepper. Goes together perfectly with their fries! I haven't tried their chicken burger but the table next to did and it looks amazing!! Already planning to comeback to try it. I'm so glad we came across this place!

Great smash burger and fries. Patio is a little loud and did have to wait for table on Monday night.

Stopped in on a Tuesday night and ordered burgers and fries to go. The patio was busy, and try bar inside was calm. Service and staff was great, but the wait was longgg. Overall, the burger and fries were good but would recommend having some drinks with friends and eating on the patio.

Friendly staff. We came on a weekend for lunch and it was packed. A friend said the smash burger was the best he'd ever had, so my husband got it. It was okay. Beers were great. Lots of street parking.

The cocktails were okay, but the hamburger was a standout. It's a typical local neighborhood bar with a comfortable, homely atmosphere.

Didn't get to try the burger because the kitchen was closed when I got here (8:30pm). Tried calling ahead a few times, but the number is disconnected. Really disappointed because I biked all the way from downtown to check this place out. Please fix your phone number and I also recommend having consistent kitchen closing hours.

Delicious! The burger, fries, staff and vibe are amazing. Their sauces are clearly homemade and that says a lot about the restaurant. 10/10

Wonderful large patio with a great drink selection. There are only three entrees on their menu, pointing you to their best smash burger option. One of the best burgers I've had in the city. Easy QR code payment options. Will definitely return!

What a cute place to stay! Currently their website is not active, so if you're looking to book a room, may need to call. We found this place while looking for a hotel close to Wrigley Field. It's about 2-3 miles from there and public transportation is about a 20 minute commute. We ended up taking Lyft instead, but now know that getting a ride after an event is pretty awful lol. This caused us to get back after the tavern part closed so we weren't able to enjoy the nighttime there. Entry to your room and the building after hours is by key code. When we arrived, we met Brick (one of the owners) and enjoyed a beer and yummy food on the patio for dinner. Mondays are 1/2 off bottles of wine and $12 burgers with fries. Currently, I think that is their only advertised special. They also have happy hour till 5pm. The room itself was clean, nice and has minimal decor but also cozy. Each room has a private bathroom with a large shower. Large tv with cable, Netflix, Prime, etc. We weren't able to hear the other guests at all but you can hear a little bit of traffic from the freeway next door. There are three rooms total and they all share a kitchenette with a small fridge/freezer, sink, microwave, some dishes and a small stovetop. I didn't care, but I didn't see coffee anywhere and know some people NEED coffee to survive! There was a coffee pot but it may be a bring your own situation. There's also a balcony guests can use in the back. They did a really nice job renovating the property. We hope to stay again! Street parking was free and easy to find right outside. It kinda felt like we were staying at a small Airbnb with an awesome patio and food/drink options downstairs. Highly recommended!

Very helpful and friendly hostess. Very rude and unhelpful impatient waitress. Music way too loud to sustain comfortable conversation. Very limited menu. Cute and quaint enough but otherwise ...go to Stop Along.

The food was delicious. I definitely recommend the ricotta appetizer. It was to die for! I also had the burger. It was a little too salty, but still yummy. The food took a very long time to arrive. The servers were very kind. However, they don't refill your water which is such a pet peeve. They tell you to refill at the water station at the front of the restaurant. We grabbed a pitcher because it was sitting at said water station and then when it got low the waitress came and grabbed it from our table and did not bring it back. It just made us a little annoyed because we were thirsty while consuming their salty ( but still yummy ) food. Overall great experience!

The L. Street Smash is a Top 3 favorite of mine in Chicago. It's just an incredibly delicious burger that's well-put together and has the perfect amount of maillard on the patties. The burger sauce is spectacular, too. The service is always great and the cocktails (old fashioned, specifically) are delicious. Leavitt Street is also one of my favorite places in general; it's cozy and it's within walking distance to a few other local bars that I love. I can't recommend this place enough!

This place is a small location in a residential neighborhood and overall, it's pretty mediocre. The mac bites were delicious and the fries were good too, but the burger was not great. Overall, it's a decent place if you're in the area, but not exceptional to plan to go to.

I am immensely disappointed in my latest visit to Leavitt Street Tavern. I normally don't do Yelp reviews but feel compelled based on my experience last night. The first time I went, my husband and I were impressed with the quality of the burger though not for the price. But it's in *that* part of Bucktown, so what are you gonna do? However, we went with some friends (5 total people) last night when the patio was considerably busy for a Thursday night. We sat down at 7:30, ordered drinks and food by 7:40, and food did not arrive until 8:50. To give context, this restaurant has 3 (three) main items they serve: smash burger, fried chicken sandwich, & grilled cheese. That's it. They have a few apps but for a burger joint, the wait was unacceptable. Our biggest issue was how everything was communicated to us. Our waitress told us "your food is being plated right now!" around 8:15 then we see the same number of burgers brought out to another table that arrived after we did. She brought out some ketchup for fries we didn't get until 30 minutes later. To her credit, she offered us some free shots but when we asked for Jameson she peddled back and said "actually I can only do house whiskey". Start with that, girl! Anyway, when our food was finally brought, again at 8:50, another waitress asked "you have everything you need?", I asked for another plate of fries for the table since we waited an hour for our food. She came back 5 minutes later and said "I can either comp the fries you have or you can wait another 30 minutes for more fries". For a burger joint, I simply refuse to believe they don't have fries for days in the kitchen. We took her up on the comped fries and free (well) shots but we were all upset with how everything was communicated to us. I've seen other reviews bashing the service and overall wait though the food is always good! If you're looking for a quality smash burger, you're better off going to Red Hot Ranch for a better burger at half the price then hitting up a patio bar after. It's Chicago, they're everywhere! TLDR: food is good but go when it's slow and if it is busy, RUN!

A cozy neighborhood bar with friendly service and a great drinks menu. We stayed for a few hours and now I have to add this spot to my go to list. I didn't try their food on this visit, but I hear great things and will make a point of coming by earlier next time.

We've all heard the rumours. This place has the best burgers in the area. So we decided to try our hand. We get two of their famous burgers and let me tell you, this place has potential to be great. One burger was so good, the other would of been so good an hour before it was served as it came out very cold but was still good. Also the service could be better to say the least, we waited about 20 minutes for water and 45 for our one burgers. I hope to see them correct these small things to put them over the top

**This review is on the "Wilma" room at the Inn only** Pros: cute decor, free street parking, good food at the downstairs tavern, Aesop toiletries, fluffy towels. Cons: Zero soundproofing. The hallway door is next to the door to Wilma and when it opens/closes, it's loud. The rooms are located above the tavern which we knew about. However, we didn't know that loud AF metal music would be cranking out of the outside speaker (near our windows) and in the tavern downstairs until almost 3 a.m. The owners should make folks totally aware that they may not get peace and quiet until the wee hours of the morning.

Pains me to leave this review. We want to love them. When you can get their food and drinks it's amazing. However I can't help but be anything else but gravely disappointed. Best recommendation I can share here: don't bother. We are local -- we live in the neighborhood. The last 4 times (!! not exaggerating) we tried getting a dinner here with friends we failed. First time the kitchen closed early. Second and third time they had parties/private events and couldn't seat us. Tonight we actually made a reservation days in advance and we arrived and were told the kitchen was closed because one of their chefs called in sick and the other working chef "was overwhelmed". No one cared to call us in advance even though we had a reservation. We had to learn this after showing up, on time and in person, with our friends only to be stuck to find a dinner last minute somewhere else. Give your business to someone else that actually cares about service. We sadly give up now on Leavitt Street Inn & Tavern as a destination for a meal with friends.

So cute! Neighborhood gem. Adorable outside casual area that screams relaxation and vacation. Uber casual in a good way- like you can wear flip flops and Jean shorts here on a Saturday night . Friendly service. Menu is pretty limited e.g. 1 grilled cheese, 1 hamburger, 1 chicken sandwich , 1 salad and a few appetizer choices. Food is good. However, It's the atmosphere and hidden gem nature rather than the food that gives this place an edge over other Chicago spots.

Third burger is insane. The toppings are amazing quality and lacy crust is perfect. The fries are also some of the best I've had. Extra dipping sauces are phenomenal. My #1 burger rec in Chicago. Service was great.

I LOVE their smash cheeseburger. I'd put it up top at one of the best in the city, if not *the* best. Fries are great too. Highly recommended for any fellow cheeseburger aficionados.

The absolute best smash burger I have ever had. Plus dog-friendly outdoor seating, fire pits, comfortable chairs and bar service. It's actually more fun outside than in. AND we accidentally discovered they're open early Thursdays! Yay

I came here for a birthday party and the catered food was great! We had sliders, salad, and chicken tenders which were all very tasty. The waiters (Emma and Marty) were also very attentive and accommodating. We sat on the patio which was very nice, well shaded with bags to play (small bean bags).

Burger is an awesome smash burger! Fries are nice and crispy. The lemon aioli is delicious. Beer selection is awesome. Try the Abt 12 beer.

Okay okay. This place is solid!!! The reviews are not hype, all-in-all five stars! One of the best burgers I've ever had. Grilled cheese was toasty and golden with great flavor - could've used more cheese though- the ratio of cheese to bread was underwhelming but I still found myself devouring every last bite. The service was accommodating and let me order a side of veggies as a stand alone, even though it wasn't on the menu (it comes with the hummus) - even the celery and carrots were super fresh, bright in color, flavorful, and crunchy. I also got a side of ranch that I am certain was made in house. Small menu but really great food that feel like was made with love. History of the tavern is also inspiring and cute. Happy to support this local business. Would definitely visit again when in town.

Fantastic hidden gem. Great drinks and the vegetarian (mushroom-based) chicken nuggets even fooled a meateater. Adorable space inside, very cozy. The outdoor patio + tent is fun too. Would recommend this place especially during the summer for the outdoor space. Tucked away by the highway, you may miss this place if you're not looking for it but I highly recommend it.

You'll quickly figure out why their burger has won awards! The staff is super friendly, and the fun and energetic owners, Teddy and Sarah, are downright incredible. We loved the relaxed, casual vibe inside and on HUGE covered patio. What a great neighborhood joint; I really wish Leavitt Street Inn was on my block.

I've eaten just about every burger in Chicago and Leavitt Street Inn is hands down the best. Crispy, cheesy, on a steamed bun. This burger is full of flavor. The vibe is welcoming and friendly staff all around with excellent music. Big beer list and unique cocktails. Heated outdoor patio. Every neighborhood needs a bar/reatauant/inn like this one.

Shady business. I ordered one cocktail-- the server took my card, swiped it, and handed it back to me. She did not ask me to sign or enter a tip/close the transaction. The drink was terrible. It was so strong it was just straight liquor. I asked the server for some soda water to be added, she didn't even speak just took the drink and brought it back. It was still terrible, I could not drink it.  I looked at my statement when I got home and I was charged $100 for a single cocktail! I called them and they said they would call back, I did not get a call back. Instead, the charge was updated to $17, which means they left themselves a $7 tip for a cocktail that I couldn't even drink. Bad business, rude server, terrible cocktails. I will not be back- which is a shame because I live next door. There are better bars in the area.

A great neighborhood bar, nice patio with options for shade or sun on nice days and they have a great beer menu. Have been a couple times but this last time was my first time eating. The house-made ricotta was delicious and our burgers and fries were very very good. They nail the smashburger style - you get the crispy edges and the sauces and toppings like the pickles are high quality. Will definitely return for this burger